Senator Trillanes Goes On A Hunger Strike To Pressure ICC To File Case Against Duterte

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Manila Bureau) – During Senator Antonio Trillanes’ interview with the BBC, he expressed confidence that the International Criminal Court (ICC) will act favorably on his complaint that accused Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte for crimes against humanity.

Trillanes, along with Representative Gary Alejano, personally traveled to The Hague in The Netherlands to submit the letter-complaint to the ICC. Both lawmakers asked the international court to file a case against Duterte for the alleged extrajudicial killings committed by the former mayor of Davao City.

To pressure the ICC to act on his complaint, Trillanes today announced that he was going to stage a hunger strike that will last until the court convicts Duterte. But instead of going all the way with his huger strike, the former member of the Armed Forces of the Philippines said he will, instead, just totally avoid eating rice.

Trillanes, who is known to be an advocate for unlimited rice (UNLI), has been called “sundalong kanin” by Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre.

“Sundalong kanin” literally translates to “rice soldier,” and describes a soldier who is rendered useless.”

Upon hearing Trillanes’s plan for a hunger strike, Senator Cynthia Villar expressed her full support for her fellow senator. Villar had earlier proposed to ban the practice by Philippine restaurants of serving unlimited rice as part of their menu. She proposed this ban as a way for the country to attain rice self-sufficiency.